Oxygen-17 hyperfine structures in the pure rotational spectra of SrO, SnO, BaO, HfO and ThO.

Hyperfine structures arising from the couplings of the nuclear spin angular momentum of (17)O (I = 5/2) with the end over end rotation of several metal-containing diatomic monoxides have been observed using a Fourier transform microwave spectrometer. The molecules have been produced by reacting (17)O(2) with laser ablated metal atoms. The oxygen-17 nuclear quadrupole coupling constants have been determined for the title molecules and are interpreted in terms of a simple Townes-Dailey model.

The pure rotational spectrum of the actinide-containing compound thorium monoxide.

The J = 1-0 pure rotational transition, together with hyperfine structure where appropriate, has been recorded for all three naturally occurring isotopomers of the actinide-containing compound thorium monoxide ((232)Th(16)O, (232)Th(17)O and (232)Th(18)O).

A search accelerated correct intensity Fourier transform microwave spectrometer with pulsed laser ablation source.

The ablation of metal surfaces in the presence of a precursor gas produces reaction products which are often difficult to predict and highly dependent on ablation conditions. This article describes the successful development and implementation of a laser ablation source-equipped Fourier transform microwave spectrometer capable of observing 4 GHz regions of spectra in a single data acquisition event. The dramatically increased speed with which regions may be searched, when compared to other high resolution microwave techniques, allows the source conditions to be the prime variable in laser ablation microwave spectroscopic studies.